By Akinwale Kasali
The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has been commended by the Northern Governors Forum, NGF, for its prompt intervention to avert a reoccurrence of the killings in Plateau and Kaduna States.
Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, who is the Chairman of the NGF showered praises on the Federal Government for providing support and relief materials to the survivors and families of the slain.
Speaking with Journalists after a closed door meeting with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, Yahaya said there is need to curb the spread of divisive narratives among communities that could escalate the crisis within the communities in the States.
He said, “In my capacity as the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, I praise the steps taken by the President to get to the root of what happened in these two states and the pledge he made that the right action would be taken to prevent future occurrence of these incidents.
“Above all, I thank him for supporting victims or survivors.”
He described the Plateau crisis as old, calling for a broader review of the immediate and remote causes to produce lasting solutions.
“Even though this matter has been there for a long time, it is time for stakeholders to have a round table and tell each other the truth and then take deliberate steps toward loving each other. Before now, the people were living in peace and doing their regular business.
“Some major issues that seem to allow the problem to persist include farmer-herder clashes, the clamour for indigenes versus settlers.
But the world over, if any society or country does not welcome visitors, such a nation will not progress. After all, we here are the same family,” he reasoned.
Yahaya sympathised with those who lost their loved ones, appealing for restraint from aggrieved communities who may be tempted to revenge.
He advised, “There should be no reason why anyone should go and kill or take the life of a fellow human being since it is not a war situation.
“Reprisal attacks have not taken us anywhere, so we need to concentrate on understanding ourselves and knowing that we have leaders at all levels to whom we can lodge our complaints.
“We should imbibe the habit of loving one another and living in peace for the progress of all of us.”
The Chairman Called for a deeper collaboration between federal and state governments as this would ease development in all sectors for the good of Nigerians.
